Last night there was a ghost on the stair

Last night there was a ghost on the stair
Early this morning still it was there
Its ghostly eyes bore into my heart
How I wish it would just depart
Then I looked at those ghostly features
Of this deranged demented creature
And there was the hint of recognition
In both myself and the apparition 
The ghost was me and I was it
And on the step I was forced to sit.

It opened its mouth as if to speak
And put out its hand as if to reach
But I pulled back in terror
At such an unknown horror
Then it spoke and my blood froze
  At the trade it now proposed

“I am the ghost of dreams you’ve lost
A collection of those hopes you’ve tossed
But I can offer you here today
That life before Fate had her play
You will have every hope come true
Ever dream and aspiration too
And all you need to achieve this aim
Is to touch my hand and start again
This dull life you live will never be
When you touch my hand and become me!”

Trembling I reached to touch its hand
As triumphantly it began to stand

Then I heard my baby’s cry
And my wife’s contented sleeping sigh

I move away in mortal disgust
That I could so abuse their trust

So I turned and stepped back up the stair
And the phantom faded into the forgiving air.
29/05/09

Tags: rhyme, inspirational, riddle, dark, weird,